The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) on Friday "firmly" denies information suggesting that Romania would be involved in the delivery of weapons to Syria. According to a MAE release, the Foreign Ministry, through the Export Control Department, as the national authority competent for the control of operations with military products, "has not registered and implicitly not authorized any foreign trade operation with military products, light weapons included, having Syria as destination in 2013 or 2014." The ministry made the declaration after the Reuters published earlier Friday a story titled "Russia steps up military lifeline to Syria's Assad," saying that Romania could have provided weapons to Syria.